Sucky. Worst mosh pit in four starts. Poor positioning or poor seeding or poor swimming. Finally found some clear water about 2/3rds down the front stretch. Not too crowded around the first turn bouy, nor the second. As noted above, back stretch was frickin' long and with a slight wind quartering from the right, which made me breathe left the whole time (which is probably why I have a sinus infection brewing in the right side of my head right now). Time was slower than what I was expecting, but what's a few minutes in an Ironman?

I understand there is a saying in poker that suggests that if you can't spot the sucker at the table, you're it. I wonder if that goes for open water swimmers? I either have the worst open water sense of direction or nearly everyone else around me can't swim a straight line...

Walked the helix. Walked into the change room, walked out of the change room, walked to my bike, walked with my bike to the mount line, you get the point...I was taking T1 easy. Put on socks and shoes at the mount line. Slow, yes, but the HR was still elevated well into the bike leg and I needed it to settle down, so probably the right choice to take it easy.

In previous efforts, I overcooked the bike and paid for it. The plan was to ride much more conservatively, recognizing that my training was not nearly deep enough to ride as fast as previous efforts, and to try to improve my nutrition and hydration intake. Paid close attention to HR and mostly kept it mid-to-upper Z2 throughout, except for uphills, of course.

Stayed on the hydration and nutrition plan (50 oz water per hour and 65 g CHO per hour). In the second half started using G2 as the CHO source insted of poptarts (as much as it pains me to say, I don't want to see a poptart any time soon - choking these down in the fourth and fifth hours was tough). That all said, I suspect my hydration goal is still a bit short of my actual needs.

Played leapfrog with some Brit-sounding youngster that really seemed to like the "TriFaster" jersey. Not sure if he thought it was supposed to be a clever play on words or something serious, but no matter, each time he'd pass me it was the same..."I really like the shirt". Plenty of good support up the big hills - too many dudes in bikinis, though. Come on, ladies! I liked the two gals dressed like nurses (I think they were on Timber). Saw them again on the run. My old girlfriend was there in Mt. Horeb - I don't think she remembers me, though.

Porta-pit stop and sunscreen, otherwise this would have been a bit faster.

Felt pretty good off the bike, comparatively speaking. Yes, I had the rubber leg syndrome, but I actually ran for nearly the first four miles, save for the walks through the aid stations (water, Coke and chips). Saw Clint and Terri at the start of State Street and the wife and son for the first time all day just past the fire station at about the 3/4 mile point. Other than Phil at transition and the Tri-Faster crew (Lauren) on Timber Lane, it had been a day with few familiar faces.

Dragged azz from the four mile mark until the downhill on Observatory. I felt the best all run along the lakeshore path from roughly mile seven to the far turnaround. My worst stretch was from that far turn-around nearly all the way back to the square. I saw the wife and son again just before the fire house and they said they weren't going to stay for the rest of the race - so on top of feeling crappy, my cheering section was bugging out with one more lap to go.

The two nurses from the hill on Timber now were in front of the fire station. I wasn't going to settle for a simple hand slap. I stopped and got a hug from one - a sweaty melon press. Seemed to catch a second wind at the next aid station across from the Kohl Center (go figure) and then saw Phil again just under the railroad bridge (I would see him again at Camp Randall for the last 2+ miles).

Ran from Camp Randall to the next aid station and from there to the next one before Observatory. From the top of Observatory I was able to make it to the aid station leaving State Street for Park Street. Back again on the Lakeshore path and I was feeling pretty good to the first aid station, then not so good.

Walked to the next aid station at the start of the old Ford Inspiration mile and was able to run from there through to the 23 mile mark. Walked a bit down University then ran until I met up with Phil and we got to the 24 mile mark.

Dropped Phil, skipped the final aid station and ran it home. Plenty of hand slapping down the right side of the chute and then heard someone yell my name from the left side - AmyJo and Craigster! For the first time I heard MR call my name - that was sweet - across the line and to the catchers.

One catcher has been volunteering for all eleven years of the event and the other had been doing it for three years. Most excellent. Some more babbling with the catchers, cap, shirt, picture and out the back of the finishing area I go.

At this point my sherpas have split town so as I zombie walk to get my bags, one of the volunteer sees the glazed/dazed look and quickly grabs them for me. "You want some help with these?" he asks. "That would be great. Would you mind carrying them with me to my bike"? Thankfully his name was Jeff and the two brain cells I still had working could focus on other things besides trying to remember some dude's name.

After fussing around getting all the crap loaded back in the car I was back to the hotel where I tried to take an ice bath - shivered nearly uncontrollably - bad idea. The water wasn't that cold, but I have had the shivers before after big training days (dehydration, no doubt) which convinces me that I still have not found the recipe of hydration, nutrition and sustained level of effort.


I would like to point to the level of training (rather the lack thereof) due to the amount of business travel I have had this year. To a degree this is true, but an honest assessment would also point to the mindset lurking behind the training.

While training for the first IM I was running scared - "...have to hit every work-out or I won't finish..", that sort of thinking. As a result, I was well trained. Having finished the first (and then another), and without specific performance goals this go-round, subconsciously the training effort became enough to finish in good shape even though outwardly I expressed other desired outcomes.

Of course I would have loved to go faster than the first one or even to get reasonably close, but I truly got the race for which I trained. Now two days removed, I think this is a good thing - I actually stayed true to myself and held together a plan that got me across the line in good shape. Still elusive are dialed-in nutrition and hydration, but I'm closer than I've ever been. I may never find the right recipe, though, and I don't know how many more long course events I have either the time or the motivation to complete - the first one may be as good as it gets.

Cozumel awaits in roughly ten weeks - a great destination event - but I don't know if that's enough for a "finisher" result - without a specific time goal and motivation to train for it I'm not sure if this is in the cards. I enjoy tris and the training is good for me, but perhaps shorter races are more appropriate. No rush to decide anything...maybe I'll consult the wife and see what she thinks...


Others have said it better than I the importance of the volunteers and support from the spectators. I think it's time to give back some of that.